I love the pace of these shows. In an age of instant gratification and videos clearly driven to try to retain viewers with silly edits, you can really settle in to these. I clearly remember my Dad bringing home an SD1 Rover v8. I seem to remember being impressed as a kid with its 155hp. From 3.5L!
Really pleased you appreciate the pace of TLBS films. It is so hard to gauge what is the ideal vid length these days, but we try to emulate a television show if the subject warrants it.
@@TheLateBrakeShow I have a little channel for music. Nothing serious. But I do see the stats on RUclips studio. The retention numbers are quite amazing. People are used to clicking on videos and it’s it doesn’t grab their attention in 20 seconds they are gone, which is clearly why serious RUclipsrs have a little ‘best bits’ edit at the start of long videos. But it’s designed for a population that is being trained to have ADHD with TikTok. These barn finds are different in two main ways I think. Firstly, you have to be a real enthusiast to appreciate them. Secondly, the pacing is in keeping with the subject matter. Cars that have lain dormant for so long wait patiently while you slowly excavate them from their slumber, like a mechanical archeologist. The films are perfect. Keep it up!
@@final_mile_music9713 @The Late Brake Show I couldn't agree more! As an over-forty year old, this really appeals to me in so many ways. Reminiscing a childhood spent exploring abandoned farms with barns full of old, forgotten vehicles of all description. Joyous spent days they were! The analogue age, where the pace was indeed so much slower.
I honestly can't like this video enough. My Grandad had an SD1 when I was a kid. Even had the same Mountney steeting wheel and Blaupunkt radio. We went all over the country in it and I was beaming from ear to ear when I heard it run at the end. So much nostalgia. If I had room for one, I'd have one in a heartbeat.
Genuinely, I've not felt so emotional about car since you uncovered this national treasure, the crowning moment when it starts, lump in the throat. I truly hope Oliver gets it back on the road and unleashes the beast 😊, thanks Jonny for another epic find. And all this on fathers day, may be that's the emotional side 😂.
Great to see my mate Oliver with his old SD1 he’s a great chap! So great that he’s helped me film loads of car reviews as my free cameraman nice to see him on other side of it!
Totally agree Nic, Oliver is a thoroughly nice guy. We first met him in 2018 at an RZOC meet at DSG in Morecambe where he kindly, and for free, enabled Android Auto on our 2016 ZE22, and then in 2020 met up with him again at a Motorway Service Area relatively local to him where he enabled Android Auto on our R90 ZE40, again for free.👍
I worked in material control as a section leader & then materials manager on SD1 V8s, 2.3 & 2.6 variants from preproduction body 17 until production was transferred to Cowley plant & loved every minute of it. This barn find is absolutely wonderful & it's really nice to hear that V8 finally burble into life & see again what I consider to be one of the best vehicles produced at Solihull SD1 plant & superceeding the P6 2000/2200& P6B V8 assembled in North works all excellent vehicles. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Who the hell didn’t like this video? What a fabulous car from way back. Obviously out of my league back in the day as I was busy bring up a family on £20 a week! Or something. You’re right, Jonny, one of the decent cars of the 80’s - a total time-warp motor. Thanks to everyone who brought this together.
The perfect Fathers Day fodder you never fail, my dad's best friend Uncle Bill had one of these I loved it, I love the way that is in such good condition and even the spiders haven't eaten it, even this man's garage door impressed me🤣 can we have a part 2 with it driving please
Your Barn finds are my favorite part of the " late brake show " This SD1 just needs a bit of love to bring it back to pristine condition , what a find ! Buy it Jonny Buy it !
@@MyRealName I would say so , I hope he doesn't put it back in that garage for another 20 years , it needs to be driven and maintained , even if it's just 1000 miles a year .
As a teenager, this was my dream car. I never owned the Vitesse, but I did own the "standard" SD1 V8 manual, and I loved it! Thanks for sharing this barn find.
Oliver was grinning more and more as time went on. You really made his day helping him. I bet he's so grateful to find someone who cares as much as him
the sd1 was a beautiful car .my favourite car of the 80s. if i had plenty of money then id get one as my sunday car.thanks for showing us this great example .
I totally share your emotions about older cars Jonny. We car enthusiasts become emotionally attached to them, the story and a survivor is always a gem and of huge excitement. The Vitesse is wonderful and it's mad how he sort of forgot it was there. What a find and so happy to see her come back to life, I am not ashamed to say I did shed a tear of happiness. Fantastic video as always Jonny.
Your always worrying about dampness and leaking garages , it doesn't matter it what it is and your going to get it out and still love it no matter what the dampness or water has done .it not the end of the world and car especially the interior is immaculate. Beautiful car . You have the best job in the world . Thank you so much for bringing us these barn finds because it is exciting to us too. Please continue to bring us these rare gems. And once again thank you so much.
I guess this video was made before Johny aquired the 'can of hope', as the car didn't fire up 'on the day'. Great to hear that wonderful V8 burble when it fired up at the end of the video. Like others I realy enjoy the barn find episodes. Keep up the good work, rediscovering this beautiful classic cars.
I love your barn find videos, it reminds me of how I used to feel about cars. I've lost my love for them in the modern era. I'm all for progress and I know things need to change but God I miss the emotions cars used to stir in the 80s and 90s. And I just mean the normal everyday cars.
My farmer grandad had a SD 1 v8 Rover Vitesse, i am not sure he ever took a driving test as that started after he was already driving and i think he just applied for a license. What was most impressive is that he only had one eye, but we made it safely to the watch Somerset play cricket each week. Botham and Viv Richards where my sporting idols at that time but this car and my grandad will be forever a part of my soul. Thanks Jonny and Oliver for sharing this adventure and bring back great memories.
What an absolute stunning car - I loved these, my dad had one in the late eighties (not the Vitesse, just a shonky 2.3L but in the lovely British Racing Green) - me and he loved that thing with it's square steering wheel and Daytona looks.....sadly it really was a car that was too expensive for him to run and eventually it broke down on the newly opened M25 when he was taking me back to my student digs in Kingston, he ended up selling it to the recovery driver on the spot (I was gutted!). If I had the room I'd have one of these today - that V8 version would be amazing, the same engine as in my old TVR Chimaera, sounded awesome. So glad Oliver got it started! Top job on that video (and yes lets have a video on the bike now please!!)....
my first ever breakdown in a car was a sd1 with my dad back in the early 90s we pulled up in a pub carpark for sandwiches and i noticed some smoke coming out from the engine. my dad ignored me saying it was fine until 5 min down the road when the radiator exploded i went to a car boot sale a few years later and found a matchbox model in a random box and still have it till this day
What a fantastic find, absolutely beautiful. Loved these when I was a kid, my dad had a 1979 3500 SD1 in white. We we're always being waved at by the police as they all drove then at the time, good memories. Who wouldn't want to own this stunner, I know I would. ❤
You know this guy's a fanatic when the registration of his Zoe is an anagram of his name. Clever but not in your face. Super video. So glad to hear that rumble at the end.
@@MyRealName The guy did his own maintenance on the car in later life. ASo what if he left it in his garage? That is how you get a low mileage minter... Like the guy said, he had other commitments. The bottom line is the car hasn't suffered over the years. Like some people who leave a car to rot outside and expect a fortune for it.
Thank you for this Jonny, really. Doesn’t matter if you are showing us the ultimate hypercar from Rimac or a car like this Rover, the way you share the experience, the authenticity of your reactions and the love for the smallest detail make us enjoy as if we were there with you. All the respect and admiration for you and your work Jonny.
You can feel Jonny’s relief when he says he still has the original steering wheel and radio whilst being very careful not to upset the guy about his upgrades
The original steering wheel was rubbish - it wasn't even round and hit your legs when you turned it. Steering response was much better with the smaller steering wheel.
I never really understood how a car could end up a 'barn find' parked in a garage and forgotten....that was until I had a TVR, which I enjoyed terrifically for the first 5 years of ownership, then life took over and for the next 5 years it was driven back and forward to its MOT every year and nothing else. It was heading the same way as Oliver's Vitesse until I plucked up the courage to sell. So, Oliver, I now understand how that happened!
Honestly Johnny, this channel just gets better and better. By showing this ST1 ( my dream car when I was younger) and more so hearing it idle at the end, well you've made me so happy. Hope you can find more British classics and show them. Fantastic and many thanks...
It is so sad that we have to reminisce. If only we could have cars like this today )but with today's build quality) I consider myself lucky to have lived through the 80s when life was good and didn't realise it at the time. Now what do we have? Just rubbish
It's wonderful to see the SD1 survived all those years in storage, but also to have covered 40,000 miles and still look that good is impressive too. Thank you for another great story and discovery. Everything you produce feels honest and kind, for the love of the subject.
I have had many cars in my life, 2 SD1's and many others including a 5.3 XJS owned for 15 years. The SD1's were lovely both 3.5's. The Vitesse was and is my dream car. What a wonderful lucky person it will be or is to own this gem. Thanks Jonny!!
A guy who live up my street had one of these, he drove it like an absolute mad man. It unfortunately became a lawn ornament when something went wrong with it, he then changed to Rover 800 Vitesse Sport, I've got very fond memories seeing these cars being used properly. I'm sure my parents were less pleased with the driver's turn of speed though.
Buzzin’ he got it running in the end, Barn finds are my favorite, I can see the genuine love you have for these classics, but also the respect for their owners. I can’t think of many other presenters that would throw on the older clothes and get into helping clear everything out of the way, doing it respectfully and enjoying every moment.. Also seeing this gives me hope for my own car, which sits covered up on a smart charger for 6 months of the year getting the occasional run out when the weathers good.. Keep up the great content :)
Brilliant video, thank you, I enjoyed watching it. Greetings from an Armenian in love with Rover 800s, I have a 1994 Rover Sterling (2.7 V6 Honda engine) and a 1997 Rover 800 (2.5 V6 Rover engine), here in New Zealand where you hardly see one on the road. I have gifted them both to my 10 year old grandson. The love of Rovers continues.
Great memories... Had a Vitesse years ago. Fitted the Leyland P76 4.4L block with the 3.5L heads, a straight LPG system and 3" straight pipe exhaust. A pretty rare car to see in Australia and I had great fun surprising (embarrasing) many a Commodore and Falcon owner. It actually felt faster 100-200kph than from 0-100 and was very smooth, planted and comfortable cruising at 200kph. I had a lovely straight 15km divided highway country road drive home and when opened up my partner could hear me on a still night coming home from several km away! Was an epic car but I remember replacing the heater core was a full 3 day job!
This takes me back! When I was young and out clubbing in the 80s, I often went to the same cab company at around 3 in the morning (where I would be greeted with "Top customer!" and be pushed to the front of the queue). Invariably, I got the same driver - who had a Vitesse (fuel must have been cheap those days) and he would race me home in less than 15 minutes, ignoring most of the traffic lights and meanwhile smoking a cigarette in a cigarette holder! Best taxi ever.
Taxi drivers where cool back in the day I was only born in the 80s. A taxi driver in early 00s near me had a Vectra GSi and drove it like he stole it definitely a taxi fare worth paying. There's currently a MK1 Octavia VRS with 350k on the clock boosting about our streets on lpg too he's had it since new it's more fun than all the Prius taxis
Oh Jonny - this has given me goosebumps and made me quite emotional! I remember 1 of my bosses letting me drive his Vitesse aged 18 in 1987 to go and rescue one of the girls who's car was playing up, she had a mk2 Escort and it set on fire on the way back to the works!!!!! Another fantastic film and thank you Oliver for letting Jonny film this - stunning.
Fun fact, the reason it was designed like this this was in order to avoid having extra costs when making left and right hand drive versions of the car. This dash can be bolted on either side and that was it, it was a clever design choice that also turned out pretty. I think manufacturers today are doing exactly the same thing :)
@@elliotroles7502 There were many cars who used this sort of design, to name a common example, a Golf mk1 or mk2. All the dials and controls up top, and air vents below that. Exactly the same as they do nowadays. This is why I appreciate the designers of this era, they made things functional and never tried to make them look traditional. No wonder they are looking at their old designs nowadays, they were that good..
When I was 17 my boss had a blue Rover SD1 Vitesse (same as the car in the video). We travelled the country in that car, over a period of two years and it was amazing. One of the first British cars to feature ABS and onboard computer. It was an amazing car with an amazing power plant, sounded like an F1 car when you dropped it from 5th to 4th and floored it. Pulled like a train!
@@TheLateBrakeShow Love the old V8 SD1's, nab that Zepher 1100 for me whilst you there fella ! 🤣 (had a bike licence for over 20 years, wouldn't be the first bike i've tarted up)
I love these barn find vids, brilliant. My e34 540i has a primitive cruise control set up and I can confirm that it’s terrifying when it decides it’s going for the top speed challenge without being requested. I had to choose to let it bounce off the rev limiter in neutral, switch the engine off and lose assistance to the brakes and steering or try to reign it in with the brakes.
Great video! My uncle had one of these cars back in the eighties and every time he came to our house with it, it was like the Queen had arrived! The car was his boss's car & he was the chauffeur. The car was like a spaceship compared to every other car in the street and there wasn't many of them on the road. This really took me back because I remember looking through the windows while it was parked and just being mesmerised by the interior - that dashboard was just huge! Thanks to Oliver for sharing this with everyone and, finally, thanks for the little shot of it starting up & running - great sound.
@@philreynolds7874 omg i was just thinking the same Bob, Sue and Rita too just before i clicked on this reply message and then seen what you had put 😂 couldn't believe it lol
Wow this brought back some great memories for me. My Dad had a superb SD1 Vitesse in the same metallic blue when I was about 6/7 years old. I loved that car and still remember the glorious V8 burble. Almost in tears typing this 😂
That is one of the most gorgeous SD1s I've ever seen. My father owned one for a while and I was born in Hitchin. He had some greet cars as I was growing up, two P6s, Saab 96, Ford Granada Consul (yellow!) Porsche 911 Targa (late 70s car) SD1, E30 323i 2 door, amongst others. Great times.
There was one of these in Limavady years ago with a 4.2 conversion and the quad headlights! I can hear it now still coming up past Stewart's car park !!
I had the pleasure of being one of a gang of four roofing chippies travelling 20 or 30 miles each way in the gaffer's SD1. Two were big guys, plus the boot full of heavy kit, and it pulled brilliantly. Superb car; I want it !
One of my favourite cars from the 70's and still looks stunning today! Such a shame it was marred by poor build quality as it could have helped save Rover.
@Mck Idyl Yes but Oliver still had covers over the bodywork. It still looks mint. Garages are magnets for unwanted stuff people don't want to throw away. Look In anyones garage there'll be cerape everywhere...
My dad used to have one since New. It was broken down all the time. I’m not quite sure but I think it was electrical issue. That’s probably why he put in the garage for the same reason. 🤷♂️
I loved these cars. Back in the day, I owned two - 2300 and a 2600 auto. Fantastic cars. Thank you for such a beautiful video. Almost brought tears to my eyes.
Hiya johnny my names simon I've only started to watch your videos ... the cars you uncover and the way you talk through things.., it's like memory lane for me... it's pure bliss watching, most of these cars are all gone... the fact that people save them and preserve them for years and years... it's just amazing.... please please find more cars:);) I love watching the videos:);)...
I love the pace of these shows. In an age of instant gratification and videos clearly driven to try to retain viewers with silly edits, you can really settle in to these. I clearly remember my Dad bringing home an SD1 Rover v8. I seem to remember being impressed as a kid with its 155hp. From 3.5L!
Really pleased you appreciate the pace of TLBS films. It is so hard to gauge what is the ideal vid length these days, but we try to emulate a television show if the subject warrants it.
@@TheLateBrakeShow I have a little channel for music. Nothing serious. But I do see the stats on RUclips studio. The retention numbers are quite amazing. People are used to clicking on videos and it’s it doesn’t grab their attention in 20 seconds they are gone, which is clearly why serious RUclipsrs have a little ‘best bits’ edit at the start of long videos. But it’s designed for a population that is being trained to have ADHD with TikTok. These barn finds are different in two main ways I think. Firstly, you have to be a real enthusiast to appreciate them. Secondly, the pacing is in keeping with the subject matter. Cars that have lain dormant for so long wait patiently while you slowly excavate them from their slumber, like a mechanical archeologist. The films are perfect. Keep it up!
@@final_mile_music9713 @The Late Brake Show I couldn't agree more! As an over-forty year old, this really appeals to me in so many ways. Reminiscing a childhood spent exploring abandoned farms with barns full of old, forgotten vehicles of all description.
Joyous spent days they were! The analogue age, where the pace was indeed so much slower.
Not a big v8 in Australia this is very small and weak, good luck with it though
Just add to my post my Dads car was The 2.6 Rover Van Dan Plas the luxury version of the sporty Vitesse
I honestly can't like this video enough. My Grandad had an SD1 when I was a kid. Even had the same Mountney steeting wheel and Blaupunkt radio. We went all over the country in it and I was beaming from ear to ear when I heard it run at the end. So much nostalgia. If I had room for one, I'd have one in a heartbeat.
My uncle had a Vittese. As the name suggests, it could shift.
This needs a second video...recommissioned and running sweet....oooooo please 🙏
Tell you what....didn't sound too bad at all without recommissioning.....far smoother than I expected for sure.
Definitely need a follow up video.
You know its gonna be a good video when Jonny cracks out the barn find fleece.
I would buy that in a HEARTBEAT... it is one of the most beautiful cars that any UK brand has ever made.
Genuinely, I've not felt so emotional about car since you uncovered this national treasure, the crowning moment when it starts, lump in the throat. I truly hope Oliver gets it back on the road and unleashes the beast 😊, thanks Jonny for another epic find. And all this on fathers day, may be that's the emotional side 😂.
Great to see my mate Oliver with his old SD1 he’s a great chap!
So great that he’s helped me film loads of car reviews as my free cameraman nice to see him on other side of it!
Totally agree Nic, Oliver is a thoroughly nice guy. We first met him in 2018 at an RZOC meet at DSG in Morecambe where he kindly, and for free, enabled Android Auto on our 2016 ZE22, and then in 2020 met up with him again at a Motorway Service Area relatively local to him where he enabled Android Auto on our R90 ZE40, again for free.👍
Has he kept it?
This video is food for the soul. Thanks Jonny and Oliver!
I worked in material control as a section leader & then materials manager on
SD1 V8s, 2.3 & 2.6 variants from preproduction body 17 until production was transferred to Cowley plant & loved every minute of it.
This barn find is absolutely wonderful & it's really nice to hear that V8 finally burble into life & see again what I consider to be one of the best vehicles produced at Solihull SD1 plant & superceeding the P6 2000/2200& P6B V8 assembled in North works all excellent vehicles.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Who the hell didn’t like this video? What a fabulous car from way back. Obviously out of my league back in the day as I was busy bring up a family on £20 a week! Or something. You’re right, Jonny, one of the decent cars of the 80’s - a total time-warp motor. Thanks to everyone who brought this together.
I can understand that, most of the vid was just clearing out a garage - and to not hear it running was a total anticlimax!
in 1983 standard wage then was £ 100.00 a week
When you opened the back door to see inside... Omgosh absolutely amazing and clean, like a new one
I love a British show that starts out with a cuppa 😊❤
True. And why would you put your mug down when you unravel a car 😂
@@oliverlondon5246 .... I was expecting the dog to noshh that, straight off... lol
What A Corker!!
tooSavvy :-)
The perfect Fathers Day fodder you never fail, my dad's best friend Uncle Bill had one of these I loved it, I love the way that is in such good condition and even the spiders haven't eaten it, even this man's garage door impressed me🤣 can we have a part 2 with it driving please
Possibly the prettiest Rover ever made. Still look modern
Bring back so many childhood memories for me, folding the back seat down and sleeping on long trips across south africa. Thank you.
What a treat for Father's Day. Thank you Johnny. You never let us down.
sounds lush at the end there, well done!
Sounded really good 👍
Absolutely fabulous. This is the content everyone needs.
I used to be an auto electrician for an Austin Rover dealership in Norwich in the 70's , loved these cars when they came out....
Wow, the fact that these sorts of cars still exist is amazing, hope it finds a deserving home.
Your Barn finds are my favorite part of the " late brake show " This SD1 just needs a bit of love to bring it back to pristine condition , what a find ! Buy it Jonny Buy it !
I don't think it's for sale
@@Kobain222 and i'll bet you the intention to sell for a good price was why this video was made :)
@@MyRealName I would say so , I hope he doesn't put it back in that garage for another 20 years , it needs to be driven and maintained , even if it's just 1000 miles a year .
@whybother now absolutely, it's also better if the car is sold and used instead of just sitting in there
This channel is better than anything on the t.v at the minute, no over the top presenters, just relaxed viewing enjoying a love for cars
Well said!
As a teenager, this was my dream car. I never owned the Vitesse, but I did own the "standard" SD1 V8 manual, and I loved it!
Thanks for sharing this barn find.
Oliver was grinning more and more as time went on. You really made his day helping him. I bet he's so grateful to find someone who cares as much as him
the sd1 was a beautiful car .my favourite car of the 80s. if i had plenty of money then id get one as my sunday car.thanks for showing us this great example .
Don’t sell it Oliver !!! , use it enjoy it , re live the joy this car bought you all those years ago !
Use it but don't put e10 fuel in it 🤔🙄😬
I totally share your emotions about older cars Jonny. We car enthusiasts become emotionally attached to them, the story and a survivor is always a gem and of huge excitement.
The Vitesse is wonderful and it's mad how he sort of forgot it was there. What a find and so happy to see her come back to life, I am not ashamed to say I did shed a tear of happiness. Fantastic video as always Jonny.
Oh man, my dad had a V8s - was THE best car of our childhood. Seeing this brings back so many memories
Your always worrying about dampness and leaking garages , it doesn't matter it what it is and your going to get it out and still love it no matter what the dampness or water has done .it not the end of the world and car especially the interior is immaculate. Beautiful car . You have the best job in the world . Thank you so much for bringing us these barn finds because it is exciting to us too. Please continue to bring us these rare gems. And once again thank you so much.
I guess this video was made before Johny aquired the 'can of hope', as the car didn't fire up 'on the day'. Great to hear that wonderful V8 burble when it fired up at the end of the video. Like others I realy enjoy the barn find episodes. Keep up the good work, rediscovering this beautiful classic cars.
Must be the best original SD1 in the UK thank you two for sharing this wonderful experience
I love your barn find videos, it reminds me of how I used to feel about cars. I've lost my love for them in the modern era. I'm all for progress and I know things need to change but God I miss the emotions cars used to stir in the 80s and 90s. And I just mean the normal everyday cars.
2 incredible individuals and 1 beautiful car and a perfect video!!!
I absolutely love these cars. My dad had a Vitesse when i was a kid
My farmer grandad had a SD 1 v8 Rover Vitesse, i am not sure he ever took a driving test as that started after he was already driving and i think he just applied for a license. What was most impressive is that he only had one eye, but we made it safely to the watch Somerset play cricket each week. Botham and Viv Richards where my sporting idols at that time but this car and my grandad will be forever a part of my soul. Thanks Jonny and Oliver for sharing this adventure and bring back great memories.
One eyed wheelman Grandpa! I grew up near Taunton in the 1980s and know the cricket buzz around that time.
What an absolute stunning car - I loved these, my dad had one in the late eighties (not the Vitesse, just a shonky 2.3L but in the lovely British Racing Green) - me and he loved that thing with it's square steering wheel and Daytona looks.....sadly it really was a car that was too expensive for him to run and eventually it broke down on the newly opened M25 when he was taking me back to my student digs in Kingston, he ended up selling it to the recovery driver on the spot (I was gutted!). If I had the room I'd have one of these today - that V8 version would be amazing, the same engine as in my old TVR Chimaera, sounded awesome. So glad Oliver got it started! Top job on that video (and yes lets have a video on the bike now please!!)....
Thanks for sharing your story, Andy😀
look who is here...it's the missenden flyer.. Could you please teamp with johnny to take care of the motorcycle barn find ?? #teamHeyKids
You've been looking for a project bike TMF, surely this is the one!
@@geoffcampbell5213 totally agree 😀
my first ever breakdown in a car was a sd1 with my dad back in the early 90s we pulled up in a pub carpark for sandwiches and i noticed some smoke coming out from the engine. my dad ignored me saying it was fine until 5 min down the road when the radiator exploded i went to a car boot sale a few years later and found a matchbox model in a random box and still have it till this day
Quite emotional watching this... The days when cars had imagination and soul... What a beauty...
What a fantastic find, absolutely beautiful. Loved these when I was a kid, my dad had a 1979 3500 SD1 in white. We we're always being waved at by the police as they all drove then at the time, good memories.
Who wouldn't want to own this stunner, I know I would. ❤
My dad had a gold 3.5 Vanden Plas, after drooling over the sales brochure I was gutted he didn’t go for the Vitesse 😞
I also used to get stopped by the police in those cars too. 😃
It was just incredible watching you uncover the Rover Sd1. Immaculate piece of historic motoring. A pleasure to watch thankyou to everyone.
I was a 12yr old lad in 1983 & I loved this car & it looks even better today
Absolutely stunning
You know this guy's a fanatic when the registration of his Zoe is an anagram of his name. Clever but not in your face. Super video. So glad to hear that rumble at the end.
that doesn't make you a fanatic. neither does leaving your car sitting for decades and driving around in a zoe :)
@@MyRealName The guy did his own maintenance on the car in later life.
ASo what if he left it in his garage?
That is how you get a low mileage minter...
Like the guy said, he had other commitments.
The bottom line is the car hasn't suffered over the years.
Like some people who leave a car to rot outside and expect a fortune for it.
Thank you for this Jonny, really. Doesn’t matter if you are showing us the ultimate hypercar from Rimac or a car like this Rover, the way you share the experience, the authenticity of your reactions and the love for the smallest detail make us enjoy as if we were there with you. All the respect and admiration for you and your work Jonny.
You can feel Jonny’s relief when he says he still has the original steering wheel and radio whilst being very careful not to upset the guy about his upgrades
The original steering wheel was rubbish - it wasn't even round and hit your legs when you turned it. Steering response was much better with the smaller steering wheel.
original wheel is hung on the wall through the back door
I never really understood how a car could end up a 'barn find' parked in a garage and forgotten....that was until I had a TVR, which I enjoyed terrifically for the first 5 years of ownership, then life took over and for the next 5 years it was driven back and forward to its MOT every year and nothing else. It was heading the same way as Oliver's Vitesse until I plucked up the courage to sell. So, Oliver, I now understand how that happened!
Amazing time capsule! Can't be many Vitesses left.. Let alone running and in that condition. Good work 😎
Wow - that is in such good condition. The interior looks spectacular!
Fantastic to see it so pristine, having been stuck in its own little time capsule after all these years! Great job
Honestly Johnny, this channel just gets better and better. By showing this ST1 ( my dream car when I was younger) and more so hearing it idle at the end, well you've made me so happy. Hope you can find more British classics and show them. Fantastic and many thanks...
A reminder that we are just caretakers to the cars we love... it's always cool to see them preserved for the next person to adore.
Loved the SD1 as a kid especially the Vitesse. Still look great today.
I adored this car as a kid. Well done Johnny you have made my year!
Loved the old Rovers, the P5B and it’s successors
Jonny does it again, more quality automotive nostalgia we love to reminisce over.
It is so sad that we have to reminisce. If only we could have cars like this today )but with today's build quality) I consider myself lucky to have lived through the 80s when life was good and didn't realise it at the time.
Now what do we have? Just rubbish
It's wonderful to see the SD1 survived all those years in storage, but also to have covered 40,000 miles and still look that good is impressive too. Thank you for another great story and discovery. Everything you produce feels honest and kind, for the love of the subject.
Really kind of you to say Aaron, thank you.
I have had many cars in my life, 2 SD1's and many others including a 5.3 XJS owned for 15 years. The SD1's were lovely both 3.5's. The Vitesse was and is my dream car. What a wonderful
lucky person it will be or is to own this gem. Thanks Jonny!!
A guy who live up my street had one of these, he drove it like an absolute mad man.
It unfortunately became a lawn ornament when something went wrong with it, he then changed to Rover 800 Vitesse Sport, I've got very fond memories seeing these cars being used properly.
I'm sure my parents were less pleased with the driver's turn of speed though.
OMG I can’t believe how immaculate the car is, that’s an amazing barn find. Nothing better than the sound of the V8 engine. Was the car sold after.
Buzzin’ he got it running in the end, Barn finds are my favorite, I can see the genuine love you have for these classics, but also the respect for their owners.
I can’t think of many other presenters that would throw on the older clothes and get into helping clear everything out of the way, doing it respectfully and enjoying every moment..
Also seeing this gives me hope for my own car, which sits covered up on a smart charger for 6 months of the year getting the occasional run out when the weathers good..
Keep up the great content :)
Brilliant video, thank you, I enjoyed watching it. Greetings from an Armenian in love with Rover 800s, I have a 1994 Rover Sterling (2.7 V6 Honda engine) and a 1997 Rover 800 (2.5 V6 Rover engine), here in New Zealand where you hardly see one on the road. I have gifted them both to my 10 year old grandson. The love of Rovers continues.
Great memories... Had a Vitesse years ago.
Fitted the Leyland P76 4.4L block with the 3.5L heads, a straight LPG system and 3" straight pipe exhaust.
A pretty rare car to see in Australia and I had great fun surprising (embarrasing) many a Commodore and Falcon owner.
It actually felt faster 100-200kph than from 0-100 and was very smooth, planted and comfortable cruising at 200kph.
I had a lovely straight 15km divided highway country road drive home and when opened up my partner could hear me on a still night coming home from several km away!
Was an epic car but I remember replacing the heater core was a full 3 day job!
This takes me back! When I was young and out clubbing in the 80s, I often went to the same cab company at around 3 in the morning (where I would be greeted with "Top customer!" and be pushed to the front of the queue). Invariably, I got the same driver - who had a Vitesse (fuel must have been cheap those days) and he would race me home in less than 15 minutes, ignoring most of the traffic lights and meanwhile smoking a cigarette in a cigarette holder! Best taxi ever.
Taxi drivers where cool back in the day I was only born in the 80s. A taxi driver in early 00s near me had a Vectra GSi and drove it like he stole it definitely a taxi fare worth paying. There's currently a MK1 Octavia VRS with 350k on the clock boosting about our streets on lpg too he's had it since new it's more fun than all the Prius taxis
So cool to ignore traffic lights...
Not.
@@JD-eo7dr i wouldn't get in a Vauxhall, no thankyou, chavvy utter junk.
@@craig2539 and a rover is the best car company ever, so good it went bust
Yes you’re a spastic
Perfect Father’s Day treat.
Would love an update on this car.
What a find- and in the best colour too- moonraker blue right?
The nostalgia!
Yep, Moonraker Blue Metallic - I had a Montego MG Turbo in that colour (C-Reg) and always looked so nice, especially polished and in the sun!
Oh Jonny - this has given me goosebumps and made me quite emotional! I remember 1 of my bosses letting me drive his Vitesse aged 18 in 1987 to go and rescue one of the girls who's car was playing up, she had a mk2 Escort and it set on fire on the way back to the works!!!!! Another fantastic film and thank you Oliver for letting Jonny film this - stunning.
Absolutely brilliant. Am I the only one who gets emotional about these barn find films with cars from 'our era' being dug out?
Seeing this car is bring back all my memories of owning one. I had a silver Vanden Plas 3.5 and I loved it. Keep up the good work.
Growing up my dad had a Capri 3.0S and my uncle had a green SD1 Vitesse… holidays in Wales were a lot of fun 👌
Brilliant result, this is a great car that deserves to be loved and driven!
Well done sir.
The world needs many more people like Oliver
Watching this and seeing the interior took me back 25 years instantly. By best friend had one in silver and we had some great times in it
As an owner of a P5B, I love the Buick/Rover V8. Fantastic car, hope it doesn’t sit any longer!
This car, to me as an Iranian, is quintessential '80s Britain.
good times back then, what happened 😣
The dashboard is almost the same trend that current cars are going with the 2 display layout above the air vents.
Shows that I was actually ahead of its time. She shape has been copied by audi and merc too
Fun fact, the reason it was designed like this this was in order to avoid having extra costs when making left and right hand drive versions of the car. This dash can be bolted on either side and that was it, it was a clever design choice that also turned out pretty. I think manufacturers today are doing exactly the same thing :)
@@elliotroles7502 There were many cars who used this sort of design, to name a common example, a Golf mk1 or mk2. All the dials and controls up top, and air vents below that. Exactly the same as they do nowadays. This is why I appreciate the designers of this era, they made things functional and never tried to make them look traditional. No wonder they are looking at their old designs nowadays, they were that good..
A truly special moment. I reckon Oliver should keep the car and enjoy it all over again👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
When I was 17 my boss had a blue Rover SD1 Vitesse (same as the car in the video). We travelled the country in that car, over a period of two years and it was amazing. One of the first British cars to feature ABS and onboard computer. It was an amazing car with an amazing power plant, sounded like an F1 car when you dropped it from 5th to 4th and floored it. Pulled like a train!
Looks like Jonny is keen on this one - maybe he'll be making Oliver an offer...
😎
It really does deserve a little bit of luv an attention,♥️.
Jonny, you'll never find a better one... Let that ruminate and I'm sure you'll make the right decision 👌
@@TheLateBrakeShow Love the old V8 SD1's, nab that Zepher 1100 for me whilst you there fella ! 🤣
(had a bike licence for over 20 years, wouldn't be the first bike i've tarted up)
Please buy it Jonny! I hope you get to film it when it's back on the road
The Mini and the SD1, my favourite cars of all time, she needs to be driven and to be seen on a B road blast.
I love these barn find vids, brilliant.
My e34 540i has a primitive cruise control set up and I can confirm that it’s terrifying when it decides it’s going for the top speed challenge without being requested. I had to choose to let it bounce off the rev limiter in neutral, switch the engine off and lose assistance to the brakes and steering or try to reign it in with the brakes.
What a beauty I had one of these in 1987 it never failed to make me smile nice to see one in such good condition.
Great video! My uncle had one of these cars back in the eighties and every time he came to our house with it, it was like the Queen had arrived! The car was his boss's car & he was the chauffeur. The car was like a spaceship compared to every other car in the street and there wasn't many of them on the road. This really took me back because I remember looking through the windows while it was parked and just being mesmerised by the interior - that dashboard was just huge! Thanks to Oliver for sharing this with everyone and, finally, thanks for the little shot of it starting up & running - great sound.
That was fantastic. I love seeing time capsules of cars like this.
Brilliant as ever one of the best channels on you tube well done Johnny .
Perfect ending. I was getting a little worried we wouldn’t hear it!!
My Grandad had an SD1 in Brown. Watching this brought back loads of great memories. Thank you
Love how sympathetic Jonny is with cars like this and their owners, proper petrol head! Thanks to the owner as well
Wow, even over here those things are rare, most have gone to the rust gods, or had there motors taken for another reason, great colour too, Rj in Oz
Soon as it rolled out, the iconic human league intro started playing in my head.
it was an sd1 that naughty bob drove ,when he took rita and sue up on the moors for some mucky nooky ..
@@philreynolds7874 omg i was just thinking the same Bob, Sue and Rita too just before i clicked on this reply message and then seen what you had put 😂 couldn't believe it lol
i immediately thought of rita sue and bob too aswell lol
I so miss my SD1's. Last one was a manual swapped VdP EFi v8, performs of the Vitesse with a touch more luxury.
Wow this brought back some great memories for me. My Dad had a superb SD1 Vitesse in the same metallic blue when I was about 6/7 years old. I loved that car and still remember the glorious V8 burble. Almost in tears typing this 😂
That is one of the most gorgeous SD1s I've ever seen. My father owned one for a while and I was born in Hitchin. He had some greet cars as I was growing up, two P6s, Saab 96, Ford Granada Consul (yellow!) Porsche 911 Targa (late 70s car) SD1, E30 323i 2 door, amongst others. Great times.
There was one of these in Limavady years ago with a 4.2 conversion and the quad headlights! I can hear it now still coming up past Stewart's car park !!
Most astonishing thing about this video: There is actually a Renult Zoe owners club....
😂😂😂😂
👏👏👏💡💡💡
Yes, everyone knows that.
Just makes me a bit sad
Rimmer brothers was superb, back in day when I had my dolomite sprint .
So expensive though 😳
@@elliotroles7502 like anything these days 🤯
They have bought all the parts and X the prices by 100
@@arthuritchybollix5064 im going back 30 years, also Triumphtune was local to me for custom stuff.
Jonny you and the team deserve great credit for this level of content. Keep up the amazing work.
I had the pleasure of being one of a gang of four roofing chippies travelling 20 or 30 miles each way in the gaffer's SD1. Two were big guys, plus the boot full of heavy kit, and it pulled brilliantly. Superb car; I want it !
One of my favourite cars from the 70's and still looks stunning today! Such a shame it was marred by poor build quality as it could have helped save Rover.
"So why has it been in the garage for over 20 years?" "I don't know really."
Incredible.
May be its a good idea he put it in the garage, otherwise it most probably would have been scrapped along time ago, now someone will cherish it
@Mck Idyl Yes but Oliver still had covers over the bodywork.
It still looks mint.
Garages are magnets for unwanted stuff people don't want to throw away.
Look In anyones garage there'll be cerape everywhere...
My dad used to have one since New. It was broken down all the time. I’m not quite sure but I think it was electrical issue. That’s probably why he put in the garage for the same reason. 🤷♂️
My dad had one with a straight 6 so we swapped it for a Range Rover V8 with a piper cam and efi. The poor man's Ferrari Daytona Good memory's.
I loved these cars. Back in the day, I owned two - 2300 and a 2600 auto. Fantastic cars. Thank you for such a beautiful video. Almost brought tears to my eyes.
Hiya johnny my names simon I've only started to watch your videos ... the cars you uncover and the way you talk through things.., it's like memory lane for me... it's pure bliss watching, most of these cars are all gone... the fact that people save them and preserve them for years and years... it's just amazing.... please please find more cars:);) I love watching the videos:);)...